Supreme Court declines to hear new contraception cases

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday
declined to take up preliminary appeals brought by Roman
Catholic groups that want an exemption from part of President
Barack Obama's healthcare law requiring employers to provide
insurance that covers contraception.

The cases were brought by a series of Roman
Catholic-affiliated nonprofit groups based in Washington, D.C.,
including Catholic University.

The legal issue is different from one involving for-profit
companies that also object on religious grounds to the so-called
contraception mandate, which was argued before the high court
last week.

The Supreme Court's decision not to hear the two cases at
this stage means that the federal appeals court in Washington
will proceed to decide the issue. If the groups lose, they would
have another chance to seek Supreme Court review.

The Obamacare law requires employers to provide health
insurance policies that cover preventive services for women,
including contraception and sterilization. The act makes an
exception for religious institutions such as houses of worship
that mainly serve and employ members of their own faith, but not
for schools, hospitals and charitable organizations that employ
people of all faiths.

As a compromise, the administration agreed to an
accommodation for non-profits affiliated with religious entities
that was finalized in July 2013. But the various Catholic groups
said the compromise process still violated their religious
rights, prompting a new wave of litigation.

Courts across the country have granted the groups
injunctions which prevent the administration from enforcing the
mandate during the litigation.

The cases are Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington v.
Sebelius and Priests for Life v. U.S., U.S. Supreme Court,
13-891 and 13-829.